Police hunt after Eastbourne hotelier attacked

Heidi Cowderoy says she has been left shaken after the ordeal on Saturday night when she was attacked at the East Beach Hotel in Royal Parade.

Ms Cowderoy had asked a male and female – who were not staying at the hotel but were trying to get in to the building to visit another couple – to leave when she was attacked by the male.

In the fracas, several glass doors were also smashed and the couple ran out of the hotel and in to a waiting taxi.

Police are now appealing for witnesses and want to trace the taxi driver who picked the couple up and may be able to provide vital information.

Ms Cowderoy says she is now left with a bill running in to hundreds of pounds to repair the damage caused on Saturday night.

In addition, a woman staying at the hotel the previous night on Friday, caused damage to a room.

Ms Cowderoy and the Eastbourne Hospitality Association say part of the problem is being caused by “undesirables” being able to afford to stay at seafront hotels in the town.

That, the association says, is because Eastbourne has too many hotel beds. Hoteliers are having to offer competitive low rates with people paying under £20 for bed, breakfast and evening meals in the low season.

Ms Cowderoy said, “Thee are too many hotel beds in the town so we are having to drop room rates at this time of year.

“Because room rates are now so low, undesirable people can afford to stay in them and this is the problem we have now.”

Ms Cowderoy is currently locked in a legal battle with Eastbourne Borough Council over installing UPVC replacement windows instead of traditional wooden ones.

An enforcement notice is likely to be served by the council soon ordering her to take out the new ones and replace them with wooden ones which are more costly.

She said, “Because room rates are so low – caused by the council not recognising there are too many hotel beds in the town – it is impossible to make money.

“I haven’t made enough money this year to pay for the damage caused in the two incidents at the weekend so how I am expected to either pay for the windows to be replaced or a costly legal battle appealing against the council’s decision I just don’t know.”

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